Poussan is a town in the Herault region of Occitania, about ten kilometers north of Sete.
Located north of the pond Thau, the town already inhabited in the Gallo-Roman era developed from the Middle Ages first under the impetus of religious who establish a priory and prosperous seigneuries who benefit from fertile land suitable for viticulture.
Fortified city, Poussan has a castle and is resistant to the vagaries of history.
The city develops beyond its walls after the Revolution.
The vast communal territory (30 km²) is composed to the west of the town of scrubland forming the mountains of Moure and east plains planted with vines.
Poussan now has nearly 6,000 inhabitants and has preserved a rich historical heritage while enjoying an exceptional environment protected by Natura 2000 (wetlands, grasslands, fauna (birds) and typical flora). media from the scrubland and the Thau area).
A lively city with quality cultural and leisure facilities, Poussan is a popular stop on the Languedoc coast.
Many testimonies of its rich past mark a discovery of the city.
This is the case of the Saint-Pierre church which dominates the city. It was rebuilt in the nineteenth century on the foundations of older buildings: a Gothic church of the fifteenth and a Romanesque church of the tenth. Only the base of the bell tower has been preserved. Inside, there is a painting evoking Pentecost and another Saint-Roch, both from the 18th century.
Also to be seen religiously, south of the city, near the highway toll, the ruins of the Church of St. Vincent (tenth century), which would have hosted a council in 1090 before raising Benedictines of la Chaise-Dieu.
In the ancient heart of Poussan, we will dwell on the Montlaur castle, the oldest parts of which date back to the 10th century. From its original U-shaped plan and subsequent reworking, a vaulted room in the right wing, converted into a chapel, frescoes, corner turrets adorned with sculptures have been preserved.
Former Gothic priory of the 14th century, the current presbytery has been reworked. Near the church, see also, vestiges of the walls of the fourteenth century.
At the same time, doors (Portalet, Notre-Dame, Ferrage) are still visible.
Yet, the heritage jewel of the city is the castle Malbois, built from the fourteenth century. A portal and a turret date from this period. Embellished in a Gothic style in the fifteenth century (galleries, wooden ceilings painted in the room of honor), the set was further developed and made more comfortable and more "practical" in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Still within the framework of a discovery of the historic center, one will notice the chapel of the white Penitents (XVII), a Renaissance style house street Carnot and houses and trade built on old bases street Gambetta (old commercial street of the city) or the halls, in a style inspired by the Pavillon Baltard, dating from 1905 and the old town halls (fifteenth and eighteenth). As for the castle of the Garenne with residential vocation, in the south of the city, it dates from the end of the XVIIe century.
In July-August, guided tours of the historic heart are planned, including theatrical performances with costumed extras. Information on +33 4 99 02 01 50 or +33 4 67 43 93 08.
The main heritage sites and especially the remarkable natural areas of the town and its surroundings (shores of the Thau basin and scrubland) can be the object of many hikes (on foot or by mountain bike). Documentation and information on +33 4 67 43 93 08.
For athletes, many municipal facilities dedicated to petanque, tennis or the skate park set in the middle of vineyards, adjacent to a football field and mutli-sports area are all potential. Information on +33 4 67 78 99 51.
Finally, in terms of culture, the former communal cellar converted into a multipurpose room has also become a site dedicated to contemporary art where high quality exhibitions are scheduled each year. Information on +33 4 67 78 99 56.
In January, election of Miss Poussan.
In February, the carnival lasts four days and begins on the Sunday preceding the Tuesday Gras. On the program, parades, costumed cavalcades, musical and folkloric animations.
In July, the festival of Fiesta Sétois relocates to Poussan. Salsa and jazz concerts are organized at the Cooperative.
The last weekend of July, votive festival. On the program, concerts and convivial animations.
In mid-August, gathering of old vehicles.
In November, fair of St. Catherine (country market, craft market, flea market, entertainment and music).
Finally, all year round, the markets of Tuesday and Friday morning are the opportunity to discover the riches of the regional terroir.
